Interest area: royalcourtliverpool

Eddie Fortune – Superdrunk

A butchered degree, an arrest in Tesco dressed as a cat, red wine, easy hotels, lost jobs, tinnitus and toxic relationships. Every bad decision Eddie has made had been through haze of being blackout drunk.

From ruining his best friend’s 21st and eating a string of sausages off of the carpet to waking up next to a drag queen’s dress in a penthouse suite and drinking malbec to mask the mess.

Dumped by every person he has ever dated, he now lives in his Mum’s shed. Is it time the party stopped?

Tour Support for Ali Woods, Steff Todd, Clinton Baptiste and Crissy Rock. 

A previous Royal Court Studio sell out act and British Comedian of the year semi-finalist.

‘Excellent’ – Crissy Rock

‘Great set. I’ve heard a lot about you, now I know why after last night’ – Carl Hutchinson

‘Very Good’ – Clinton Baptiste

Stage Write Night

Join the Royal Court for an evening of script in hand readings from their writing programme – Stage Write.

There will be a selection of 10 minute excerpts from some of the scripts that have been submitted over the last two months. This is the chance to get an early look at works in progress as a team of actors and creatives get them ready for the next stage.

Scripts for Tuesday 12 November confirmed:

The Quare Gunk by Mark BrennanCorpsing Gareth by David Brown Ward Ten by Mo Hansch Please Like This Story by Eugene O’HareThe Cabin by Robert Emlyn SlaterQualified by Lee Thompson.

Feedback from the audience and questions for any of the participants will be welcomed as we continue to develop the best in new writing.

Alternative Black Cabaret Showcase

The Black is back! The Alternative Black Cabaret Showcase in partnership with Boisterous Theatre Co. bring the biggest names and the freshest acts from around the globe; Liverpool, Los Angeles, Lafta Republic and Oldham. Resident host Che B introduces comedy, music and specialist turns along with Black Bingo and raffle there’s even a token white act for diversity thrown in too!

27 September Lineup

Opening Act – Paul Sinha

A trained medical doctor, best known as the Sinnerman on the ITV quiz show The Chase, Paul has been a highly successful British-Asian stand up comedian for many years.

He has performed eight solo shows at the Edinburgh Festival, with his 2006 show nominated for the then Perrier Award. As a club comedian, Paul has played every major comedy club in the UK, performed in eighteen other countries across the globe, and was three times nominated for Best Club Comedian at the Chortle Awards, winning in 2014.

Headliner – Desiree Burch 

A comedian, writer, actor, theatre-maker and NY-to-London transplant, Desiree has quickly and firmly established herself as one of the break out comic stars in the UK. She is the host and voice of Netflix’s smash reality hit, ‘Too Hot Too Handle’ and recently hosted Live At The Apollo (BBC 2).

Desiree exploded onto the UK comedy scene, winning the 2015 Funny Women Award. Since then, she has appeared on, ‘Live at the Apollo’ (BBC), ‘Have I Got News For You’ (BBC), ‘Qi’ (BBC), ‘8 Out of 10 Cats’ (Channel 4), ‘Mock The Week’ (BBC2),’Insert Name Here’ (BBC2), ‘Frankie Boyle’s New World Order (BBC2). and co-hosted Netflix series, “Flinch”. Desiree recorded her critically acclaimed, debut Edinburgh festival show, ‘This Is Evolution” as a TV special for, ‘Live From The BBC ‘(BBC3) and has recorded a 2nd stand up special for Comedy Central. Her recent Edinburgh hour, ‘Unfuckable’ was a sold out hit at The Edinburgh Fringe and went onto two fantastic, sold out runs at The Soho Theatre.

Amy Gledhill – Make Me Look Fit ...

Amy Gledhill – Triple Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee, National Comedy Award nominee and 1/3 of cult double act The Delightful Sausage – returns with a brand new show about self-confidence, romance and bin bags.

Amy is a multi award-winning comedian, actor and writer, and is the only act ever to be nominated for the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Award twice in the same year. Following her hugely successful debut show, The Girl Before The Girl You Marry , Amy Gledhill returns with another stand-up offering.

As seen on Would I Lie to You? , The Jonathan Ross Show, Never Mind the Buzzcocks , 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and many more. She is also co-host of hit podcast Northern News (featured in The Guardian’s Best Podcasts of 2023), and as an actor has starred in Sex Education , Alma’s Not Normal, Hull Raisers and many more.

‘Remember Gledhill’s name, because it’s about to be everywhere’ ★★★★★ Independent

‘One of the funniest people making comedy right now’ Metro

‘Jaw-droppingly good’ ★★★★ Times

★★★★ Guardian

Presented by Plosive Live in association with United Agents.

Colin Hoult – Colin

The 2022 Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee heads back out on tour. This time as himself, Colin. As seen in Netflix’s Afterlife, BBC’s Ghosts, and BBC’s This Time With Alan Partridge, Colin Hoult heads across the UK with a not-to-be-missed stand-up show!

Following a huge national tour of ‘The Death of Anna Mann’ in 2022/2023 that saw Colin sell out shows across the country, including additional performances in London’s West End, the critically acclaimed comedian is back with a stand-up show about family, fatherhood, and a formative childhood experience with a ouija board and a gorilla.

As seen in Avoidance (BBC), The Completely Made Up Adventures Of Dick Turpin (AppleTV) and judging the 2023 BBC New Comedy Awards.

‘Terrific… you will laugh yourself silly throughout’ ★★★★★ The Telegraph.

‘Genius… One of the funniest comedy shows I’ve seen’ ★★★★★ The Times.

‘A superb show that I wanted to watch again straight away’ ★★★★★ The Arts Desk.

‘Hilarious… wonderfully lush, intricate tapestry’ ★★★★ The Scotsman.

‘Side-splittingly brilliant…an absolute gift to comedy’ ★★★★★ Broadway World.

‘Sheer comic gold’ ★★★★ Metro

★★★★ The Independent

★★★★ The Guardian

★★★★ Evening Standard

★★★★ TimeOut 

Presented by Berk’s Nest in association with United Agents.

Daliso Chaponda: Feed This Black Man A...

Daliso did his first show Feed This Black Man 20 years ago. The jokes were mediocre, there was a rap about poverty in the middle (which was as offensive as you might imagine) and the big finale involved a sandwich on stage.

20 years later, Daliso has done the Royal Variety Performance, written and performed four series of Citizen of Nowhere on BBC Radio 4, been a Britain’s Got Talent finalist, toured nationwide and abroad… all sorts of things the 22-year-old Chaponda would never have imagined possible.

So, Feed This Black Man Again is a do-over, as the now widely-loved comic revisits the themes of that ancient debut show with the considerably enhanced comic talents that two decades’ experience brings you. Along the way he’ll examine the huge differences between the way you think life will be at twenty, and the reality. Probably no sandwich at the end this time.

★★★★ ‘Full of sharp one-liners and well-crafted gags…a real talent’ Metro

‘Gets laughs out of topics other comedians shun’ The Guardian

‘Brilliantly bold, thoroughly engaging and provocative’ Wee Review

Presented by Impatient Productions.

It’s A Wonderful Life

“Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings…”

It’s Christmas Eve, Bedford Falls.

George Bailey, a down-on-his-luck banker, believes life has left him behind. But when his guardian angel appears, George is astounded to witness what life could be like without all of the good deeds he’s done. Maybe life wouldn’t be as wonderful without him…

Inspired by the 1946 Frank Capra film of the same name, this enchanting adaptation breathes new life into the heart-warming magic of the original story.

It’s A Wonderful Life marks Old Fruit Jar Productions’ third visit to Liverpool’s Royal Court after the success of The Incident Room and Twelfth Night.

Contains some distressing themes, but this production is suitable for all ages.

★★★★★ – Liverpool Echo, The Incident Room

★★★★★ – North West End, The Incident Room

★★★★★ – The Broken Spine, The Incident Room

★★★★ ½ – Good News Liverpool, The Incident Room

★★★★ ½ – Arts City Liverpool, The Incident Room

★★★★ – Wirral Globe, The Incident Room

★★★★ – North West End, Twelfth Night

“Proof that Liverpool’s Arts scene is thriving” – Liverpool Echo

“An ensemble piece and everyone shines!” – Wirral Globe

“A promising crew of young actors with exciting careers ahead” – A Young(ish) Perspective

“Old Fruit Jar Productions have pulled out all the stops” North West End

“All of a sudden, theatre in Liverpool is looking very exciting” North West End

“Performances from Old Fruit Jar’s extraordinary young cast all stand up to scrutiny” Sightlines UK

It’s A Wonderful Life will transfer to St George’s Hall (10th – 13th December) following it’s run at Liverpool’s Royal Court due to popular demand!

Part Vampire

Part Vampire is an exhilarating musical comedy that features Phil Jones, the renowned lead singer of the cult Liverpool band “Afraid of Mice”. In this new production, Phil adds a comedic twist to his performance, sharing the stage with his son Ben.

Phil’s character, Jack Moody, is a 70-year-old actor who has spent his entire career playing small roles as an extra in Hammer Horror films. 

One day, he decides to audition for a major role as a vampire in a run-down film studio. However, his plans are thrown off course when a young, striking actor who had previously worked as a body double in the ‘Twilight Series’ also auditions for the same role, causing Jack to face unexpected competition.

As the audition unfolds, something about this eerie setup doesn’t quite add up, leaving audiences on the edge of their seats in suspense.

Part Vampire is a delightful comedy featuring a sexy receptionist named Rebecca, Jack’s pushy mother, and a sinister director named Charles, along with his accomplice Zoltan.

Prepare to be captivated by the fascinating world of “Part Vampire”, a theatrical performance that blends comedy, mystery, and music in a unique and unforgettable way. Don’t miss this extraordinary event, which promises to delight both theatre enthusiasts and comedy lovers with its exceptional blend of humour, suspense, and entertainment. Come and experience an evening filled with laughter, excitement, and surprises that will leave you wanting more! 

Directed by Margaret Connell and written by Kenny O’Connell, this production features captivating music by the brilliant Matt Shaw and Phil Jones supported by an incredibly talented cast.

Don’t miss your chance to witness the magic of Part Vampire.

Cast:

– Phil Jones as Jack Moody
– Ben Jones as Ned Chalmers
– John Purcell as Director
– Stacey Orford as Secretary
– Linzy Boden as Mrs. Moody
– Derek Carey Vernon as Vampire 

Presented by Blue Park Theatre 

Royal Court Stocking Fillers

A show that is fast becoming a Christmas tradition, we are delighted to welcome Stocking Fillers back to the Studio!

Seven brand new ten-minute festive plays to entertain you at the most wonderful time of the year!

A merry mix of comedy and drama, the Stocking Fillers will make you laugh and cry. They might even make you sing and shout. You’ll feel all Christmassy from your head to your mistle-toes.

These short plays have been written by members of the Royal Court’s writing groups and each evening professional actors and directors will bring them to life before your very eyes. With seven different shows to choose from there is something for everyone.

So get yourself down to the Royal Court grotto this Christmas and enjoy the show. You’ll be shouting out for myrrh!

Two Cities… Half The World Away

This is a story about the rivalry between the two great northern cities of Liverpool and Manchester and, the fact that they have so much in common yet… it is often football rivalry that separates them. 

Set in a Police Station during the Europa League tie at Old Trafford in 2016, two young lads, Terry, a Utd fan, and Liam, a Liverpool fan, are stopped on their way to the game and taken into custody for non-payment of fines. 

With the game about to start, desk sergeant Frank (50s), places them into the same cell to save time and energy. Once the game gets underway a story of inter-city rivalry unfolds. We see the two open–up about family life and their own personalities. In a tiny cell with fan rivalry erupting every 5 minutes, Frank wants the pair gone so he can deal with an urgent family matter. 

Seeing a way past a football-fuelled mindset and wanting their fines paid to catch the second–half the lads soon find they have a lot more in common than they ever imagined. 

Presented by Beyond The Line Theatre Company.